genealogy and family ties

Thetford in the Kingdom of East Anglia

Although my Uncle Bill has been at his eternal rest for years now, his middle name continues to make me wonder where in the world his provincial Southern parental unit got such a name! It has yet to turn up as a family name. Not that it matters to my searches for family ties. Or does it? Well, there are no longer any old folk around to ask on either side of my family but everyone knows that many young whippersnappers through the centuries have been given a mothers’ or grandmothers’ maiden name as one of theirs, usually as the middle name if there is one (or one that is known).

Now I do believe that early in the 20th century my Uncle Bill was born in the Madison-Oglethorpe County area of rural Georgia which is as historic as can be, beginning of course with the region’s original inhabitants, most of which were of the Cherokee persuasion. Prior to Cherokee tribes, we know that more ancient groups lived in what is now Georgia (and surrounding regions) and their leave-behinds are now archaeological discoveries many of which are marvelous to behold and intriguing to contemplate. What are your leave-behinds for future sleuths to find?

Such a feeling I’d get as a child when we’d drive through an area called Cherokee Corner where an old Methodist Church (originally built as Presbyterian) still stands on the hill. This, I was told, was where the trail from Virginia crossed the trail to Alabama and great conferences had been held there. That’s what I was told butthe truthis otherwise and just as fascinating for those interested in history, church related or not:

Well, back to Uncle Bill. His middle name was Thetford . So I got busy and found a video tour of the very town which is located in what was once called (rather romantically so), the Kingdom of East Anglia:

My thanks to videographer Alexandru Surchicinwho may let me know if embedding the Thetford clip here is a bother–only a word and the clip shall be removed! jc

“There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots, the other is wings.” Teaching children values and giving them the opportunity to excel are essential to good parenting. However, I feel I must also provide my children (and myself) insight into the ones who came before us: our ancestors whose lives and stories have shaped us into who we are. This is my journey; these are their stories…